WANG IS TOPS IN CLASS

The founder, and creator was about to turn dream into reality. Marty Judge, the businessman turned sports entrepreneur, held a folded slip of paper that had been handed to him by no less than Super Bowl winning coach Dick Vermeil. They sat together on the glittery studio set of the first CAFL Draft Show, which was being streamed live around the world. As the league’s founder and principle owner, Judge would get the honor of revealing the first player selected to play in China’s first pro football league.

“The Guangzhou Power have selected … David Wang from Virginia Tech” bellowed Marty, with his patented left hand fist thrust, matched by a huge smile. The new league was officially in business.120 players would be selected in the course of the next 180 minutes, by the 6 teams and their head coaches. But none will be remembered more than the first. “I never, ever, had any doubt about the pick” said Power coach Ernesto “Netto” Purnsley, live on camera from his home office. “David filled several needs, all important. He counts on my roster as a native player, since his parents are both from China, but I may have selected him anyway because he is just a superb lineman, and I was convinced I needed to build my team from the inside out.”

For his part, Wang, an All-ACC center at Virginia Tech, was overjoyed. “I really can’t believe this,” he told CAFL Draft Show reporter Mick Moninghoff. “Who could have dreamed that I would return to my parents homeland playing American football?” That dream includes David’s brother Ed Wang, who would take Judge’s seat on the set after the pick to say “I couldn’t be prouder of David. Not only is he a great player, but he will represent our new league with class and leadership.”

Ed should know. He grabbed headlines of his own when he became the first full-blooded Chinese player to be drafted – by the NFL. Ed was also an All-ACC lineman at Virginia Tech under legendary coach Frank Beamer. Now retired as a player, Ed is heading the CAFL’s Beijing office. “David is a coach’s dream. He is fast, has good size (6-2, 300) and is very, very intelligent. He could play any of the interior positions, on either side of the ball.”

Intelligent? A quick check of David Wang’s college days finds that he was an All-Academic ACC selection. In fact, the younger Wang accumulated no fewer than 4 degrees while competing in one of the nation’s top power conferences. As an undergrad, David picked up degrees in both management, and marketing. He topped that with 2 Master’s degrees – in technology. as well as curriculum and instruction. . One might assume the league’s top pick, should be able to master Coach Purnsley’s playbook in short order.

For a look at the roster of the Guangzhou Power as well as all the teams from the CAFL draft, click here. To view the CAFL Draft Show, click here.